Over-the-road tractor trucks may have one or two diesel fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 to 300 gallons. Because of the angle of the fuel tank opening on many trucks and the resulting imbalance of the fuel hose and nozzle, because of the pressure of the fuel being dispensed from the hose nozzle, and because the pressure can change suddenly, it is possible for the nozzle to be forced out of the tank opening, resulting in a fuel spill and an inconvenient and unsafe condition. Consequently, it is important to keep the nozzle in the opening. While the driver may stand by each fuel tank and hold each hose handle only filling one fuel tank at a time, filling even one tank may take a quite a bit of time while filling two and possibly three tanks may take as long as 30 minutes. It is standard practice for the truck driver to be performing other important tasks, such as washing windows, checking tires, and topping off fluids while the tanks are filling. These tasks require several minutes of extra time if the drive had to hold each fuel hose handle one at a time. Importantly, a driver holding the fuel nozzle while filling the tanks is exposed to toxic diesel fumes, which is substantially avoided if the driver is even several feet from the opening of the tank while performing the other tasks.
A method some drivers use to secure the pump handle, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, is to secure the nozzle in the tank's opening with a bungee cord wrapped through or around the handle. In FIG. 5, the ends of the bungee cord are hooked into openings in the step of the truck with the bungee cord passing over the handle. In FIG. 6, the bungee cord is wrapped around a portion of the handle and the ends are hooked to an edge above the tank opening. However, attaching the bungee cord may be difficult and it may not be secure enough or may break or slip, causing the nozzle to fall out of the tank opening and spilling fuel. And the bungee cord, if left hooked on the steps when not in use, can cause trips, slips and falls when climbing into and out of the cab.